RECONSTRUCTION Chapter 3

Reconstruction was…. The federal government’s controversial effort to 1. repair the damage to the South and 2. to restore southern states to the Union The federal government’s controversial effort to 1. repair the damage to the South and 2. to restore southern states to the Union

Timing of Reconstruction Lasted from Lasted from That would be 12 years and involved four presidents! That would be 12 years and involved four presidents!

Physical Damage Farmland, machinery, work animals, livestock, and buildings destroyed 9,000 miles of railroads 2/3 of all shipping

Ruined building in the burned district – Richmond, VA

Ruins of a papermill and machinery – Richmond, VA

Ruins of Gallego Flour Mill - Richmond, VA

Ruins of a paper mill w/ waterwheel - Richmond, VA

Charleston, SC April 1865

Charleston, SC April 1865

Charleston, SC April 1865

Atlanta, GA April 1865

Vicinity of Atlanta, GA

Physical Damage, cont. Roadways, bridges, tunnels (infrastructure) Miscellaneous buildings and factories

Civil War Aftermath 1. Devastating physical toll to the South 2. Total human casualties- over 1 million 3. Southern Hardships affected a. Black southerners b. Plantation owners c. Poor white southerners

Death Tolls Northern Death Toll 364,000 deaths (38,000 were African Americans) Southern Death Toll 260,000 deaths 1/5 th of all adult white males were dead 1 out of 3 males were killed or wounded

Consider This... Who are the workers in the economy? Who are the workers in the economy? What now happens to the women and children? What now happens to the women and children?

Southern Hardships Freed Slaves (Freedmen) New life in poor economic area Homeless Hungry Unemployed

Stay or Go?

Southern Hardships, cont. Plantation Owners Loss of slave labor Land was often seized by the government

Southern Hardships, cont. Poor White Southerners Competing against former slaves (freedmen) for jobs Many migrated to Mississippi and Texas for jobs

Plantation Life Changes Freedman now have choice – to stay or to leave Freedman now have choice – to stay or to leave Plantation owners now have to pay salaries for labor Plantation owners now have to pay salaries for labor

Changes in Farming Plantations divided up land & hired people to work it Plantations divided up land & hired people to work it 1. Sharecropping – farmer receives a share of the harvest time as payment 2. Tenant Farming – farmer rents land from planter/land owner

Effects on the South 1. Changes in Labor Force 2. Focus on Cash Crops 3. Cycle of Debt 4. Rise of Merchants

Reintegrating the South Problem #1 Determine the role of the freedmen

Problem #2 Define the role and acceptable power of former Confederates within their states and within the nation

Problem #3 Determine which branch of government would be responsible for overseeing reconstruction

Vocabulary Terms Pardon – forgiveness of a crime Amnesty – pardons for a group of people

Two Plans for Reconstruction Lincoln’s Plan (10% Plan) Johnson’s Plan (Presidential Reconstruction)

Lincoln’s Plan 1. 10% of white men to swear allegiance to the Union & free slaves were then given a pardon

Lincoln’s Plan 2. Former Confederates can run local governments 3. 10% agreement allowed full participation in the Union

Lincoln’s Plan - PROBLEMS No role for freed men identified No guarantee of rights or future rights

Wade-Davis Bill 1. Radical Republicans in Congress disagreed with Lincoln ’ s plan and created the Wade- Davis Bill Primary Concerns with Lincoln ’ s Plan HE DID NOT PUNISH THE REBELS! FELT LINCOLN WAS TOO EASY ON SOUTH

April 1865 Lincoln is assassinated 13 th amendment officially ends slavery in all of the United States

Lincoln Assassination

John Wilkes Booth Famous Actor Most Handsome Man in the America Hated Lincoln & worked as a spy for the south

April 14, 1865 Booth enters box & shoots Lincoln in the head

Andrew Johnson, (southern democrat, former slave owner) administered his own new policy

The Johnson Plan 1. Granted amnesty to former Confederates who signed loyalty oath 2. Restored all property, except slaves and confiscated lands

Johnson’s Plan 3. Voided secession laws and ratify the 13 th amendment 4. Cancelled war debts

Johnson’s Plan - PROBLEMS More generous to the south! 1. Amnesty awarded to “certain” southerners 2. Flawed election process (blacks excluded from voting)

Consider This... Who are not considered in the two plans? Who are not considered in the two plans? What will the freedmen do? What will the freedmen do? How did the freedmen’s lives change? How did the freedmen’s lives change?

Freedom The joys of freedom… Freedom of movement, land ownership, education, etc. The realities of life… Food, Clothing and Shelter?

Freedmen’s Bureau Developed to help former slaves Provided food, schools, legal help, etc Unpopular with many white southerners Vetoed by Johnson

Anger at being forced to submit to the acts of Reconstruction leads to defiance Fear of loss of power leads to…

Here is an edited example of one of the Black Codes: The Black Codes Now that the slaves have become emancipated, it is necessary to pass regulations that preserve public order. These regulations must also preserve the comfort and correct behavior of the former slaves. Therefore, the following rules have been adopted with the approval of the United States military authorities who have commanded this area. 1) Every Negro is required to be in the regular service of some white person or former owner, who shall be held responsible for the conduct of that Negro. 2) No public meetings or congregations of Negroes shall be allowed after sunset. Such public meetings may be held during the day with the permission of the local captain in charge of the area. 3) No Negro shall be permitted to preach or otherwise speak out to congregations of colored people without special permission in writing from the government. 4) Negroes may legally marry, own property and sue and be sued in a court of law. 5) Negroes may not serve on juries. 6) A Negro may not testify against a white person in a Court of Law. 7) It shall be illegal for a Negro or a person of Negro descent to marry a white person. 8) No Negro shall be permitted outside in public after sundown without permission in writing from the government. A Negro conducting business for a white person may do so but only under the direct supervision of his employer. 9) No Negro shall sell, trade, or exchange merchandise within this area without the special written permission of his employer. 10) No Negro who is not in the military service shall be allowed to carry firearms or any kind or weapons of any type without the special written permission of his employers. Black Code Sample

BLACK CODES set limits on the rights and opportunities of African Americans helped planters find workers to replace freed slaves barred freedmen from any job but farm work and unskilled labor Set curfews Punishments for vagrancy (not working) Radical Republicans in congress see the codes as a way for white southerners to get around the efforts of congress so…

Radical Reconstruction Reconstruction Act of passed by radical republicans -state governments declared illegal -south divided into 5 military districts except Tenn.

Radical Reconstruction To rejoin the Union: 1. Adopt a constitution guaranteeing all male citizens the right to vote 2. Elect a new government 3. No white southern who served as conf. soldier/official could vote on new constitution 4. Ratify the 14 th Amendment

Radical Reconstruction Civil Rights Act of 1866 – outlawed Black Codes Johnson vetoed bill BUT… Congress overrode the veto!

15 th Amendment Grants African Am. Right to vote Election of 1870 – many angry white southerners refused to vote More than 600 African Americans were elected to southern legislatures and 16 black men were elected to congress

Radical Reconstruction Radical Republicans passed two laws to reduce Presidential Power 1. The Command of the Army Act (limits presidential power over the army) 2. The Tenure of Office Act (removes presidential power to fire without Senate approval)

Impeachment! - Congressional power growing - Johnson fires Sec. of War -The House votes to “impeach” Johnson (to accuse of wrongdoing and bring to trial) -President escapes removal by only 1 vote

Impeachment Process 1. House of Rep votes for Impeachment 2. Trial held in the Senate w/ Senators as Jury 3. Trial run by Chief Justice of Supreme Court

Southern Republicans 1. Scalawags – White southern Republicans; most were poor farmers who were against leaving the Union

2. Carpetbaggers Northern Republicans who moved south. Seen as greedy men seeking power and a quick dollar. Most were honest and educated.

Election of 1868

Rep – Ulysses Grant Dem – Horatio Seymour Grant wins by a narrow victory Wins by “Waving the Bloody Shirt”

Rise of KKK – violent response to Radical Reconstruction

The goal of denying African- Americans their rights and keep them in the role of submissive laborers

Ku Klux Klan Started in 1866 by 6 former Confederate soldiers Members wore robes and masks to look like the ghosts of dead Confederate soldiers who returned for revenge against enemies of the South. Popular in the mountain and Piedmont areas of the south

Ku Klux Klan Gradually absorbed other smaller organizations over time Name from the Greek word kuklos, meaning “circle”

A cartoon threatening that the KKK would lynch carpetbaggers, Tuscaloosa, AL, Independent Monitor (1868)

The End of Reconstruction By 1870 all Southern States were back in the Union Reconstruction was a dying issue

The End of Reconstruction Why did Reconstruction end? Heavy taxes Heavy taxes Corruption Corruption Lack of northern support for racial equality Lack of northern support for racial equality The Solid South – Southern Democrats reversed many of the reforms The Solid South – Southern Democrats reversed many of the reforms

Election of 1876

Rep – Rutherford B. Hayes Dem – Samuel Tilden Tilden wins popular vote BUT a dispute over electoral votes

Election of 1876 The votes for FL, LA, & SC were in question Congress chose Hayes! Democrats Outraged!

The Compromise of 1877 The Democrats agree to give Rutherford B. Hayes the presidency in return for the removal of all federal troops from the Southern States Hayes’ removal of troops from the south is regarded as the end of reconstruction!

Reconstruction Successes 1. Rebuilt Union & Repaired South 2. Economic Growth in South th, 14 th, & 15 th, Amendments 4. Freedmen’s Bureau 5. Public Schools - South

Reconstruction Failures 1. African Am Lacked pol. power 2. Racism in North & South 3. Left Southern Bitterness 4. South still focus on Agriculture 5. Didn’t address women’s rights & safe working conditions (north)